Electric vehicle energy storage systems are normally recharged using direct contact conductors between an alternating current (AC) source such as is found in most homes in the form of electrical outlets; nominally 120 or 240 VAC. A well known example of a direct contact conductor is a two or three pronged plug normally found with any electrical device. Manually plugging a two or three pronged plug from a charging device to the electric automobile requires that conductors carrying potentially lethal voltages be handled. In addition, the conductors may be exposed, tampered with, or damaged, or otherwise present hazards to the operator or other naïve subjects in the vicinity of the charging vehicle. Although most household current is about 120 VAC single phase, in order to recharge electric vehicle batteries in a reasonable amount of time (two-four hours), it is anticipated that a connection to a 240 VAC source would be required because of the size and capacity of such batteries. Household current from a 240 VAC source is used in most electric clothes dryers and clothes washing machines. The owner/user of the electric vehicle would then be required to manually interact with the higher voltage three pronged plug and connect it at the beginning of the charging cycle, and disconnect it at the end of the charging cycle. The connection and disconnection of three pronged plugs carrying 240 VAC presents an inconvenient and potentially hazardous method of vehicle interface, particularly in inclement weather.
In order to alleviate the problem of using two or three pronged conductors, inductive charging systems have been developed in order to transfer power to the electric vehicle. Inductive charging, as is known to those of skill in the art, utilizes a transformer having primary and secondary windings to charge the battery of the vehicle. The primary winding is mounted in a stationary charging unit where the vehicle is stored and the secondary winding is mounted on the vehicle
To maximize efficiency, it is important that the secondary winding on the vehicle be aligned with the primary winding in the stationary charging unit. The present invention relates to inductive proximity charging. More particularly, the invention relates to a system and for assisting the operator with positioning the vehicle so that the secondary winding thereon is in close proximity and aligned with the stationary primary winding for efficient inductive charging of the vehicle.